The figures come from the company's published annual report and company profile.
48,856 flights operated during the year with an average load factor of 76 percent. Passenger traffic is the source of belly cargo.
11 Airbus A319s, 2 A320s and 10 ATR 72-600s.No dedicated freighters.
Samui, Sukhothai and Trat. No other Thai airline does this.
The WFS-PG terminal, designed for about 550,000 tonnes a year, can handle seven widebody freighters at once.
BKK, DMK, CNX, HKT, USM, KBV, HDY, THS, TDX, UTP.
Chengdu and Chongqing in China, Hong Kong, Singapore, the Maldives, Luang Prabang in Laos, and Phnom Penh and Siem Reap in Cambodia.
Bangkok Airways cargo capability can be summed up as "strong at both ends, narrow in the middle" — one end is the international cargo terminal at Suvarnabhumi (55,000 sq m, 16,000 sq m of cold storage, seven widebodies at once), the other is the dense belly network across ten Thai airports; the section in between, the China to Thailand mainline, relies only on two narrowbody routes from Chengdu and Chongqing, both to Samui, so capacity is limited.The more sensible use is therefore to treat Bangkok Airways as the "second-leg carrier" inside Thailand rather than as the first-leg workhorse out of China.
It started in 1968 as Sahakol Air and launched its first three scheduled routes on 20 January 1986 (Bangkok to Korat, Bangkok to Surin and Bangkok to Krabi) with 18-seat Bandeirante EMB-110 aircraft. Today it serves ten airports in Thailand and seven international points with a fleet of 23 aircraft, all of them passenger types.
Samui airport (opened in April 1989, runway 2,060 m), Sukhothai airport (1996) and Trat airport (March 2003) were all built and are all run by the airline. In 2025 Samui handled about 2.99 million passengers and 33,823 movements —the cargo terminals, ground services and slot resources at all three airports sit in its own hands.
At Suvarnabhumi,WFS-PG Cargo(international cargo terminal) Bangkok Airways holds49.0%;BFS Ground(ground services) holds98.88%; Bangkok Air Catering (BAC) is 93.0 percent held.It is both a customer of the terminal and one of its shareholders.
These three roles give shippers one direct benefit:fewer handover pointsOnce Chinese cargo arrives at Suvarnabhumi, clearance, depalletising, storage and the domestic onward leg all close inside one system. The same structure is also its weakness: its network is a radial pattern centred on Thailand rather than a global hub-to-hub mainline network, so it cannot carry traffic from China to a third country beyond Thailand on its own.its network is a radial pattern centred on Thailand rather than a global hub-to-hub mainline networkso it cannot carry traffic from China to a third country beyond Thailand on its own.
The table draws on the company profile and investor relations pages on the airline website and on published annual reports.
| Chinese name | Bangkok Airways Public Company Limited (commonly Bangkok Airways) |
| English name | Bangkok Airways Public Company Limited |
| Country | Thailand (Kingdom of Thailand) |
| Founded | 1968 (incorporated as Sahakol Air); the Bangkok Airways name was adopted and scheduled flights began in 1986 |
| Head office address | 99 Mu 14, Vibhavadirangsit Road, Chom Phon, Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900, Thailand (Chatuchak district, Bangkok, Thailand) |
| Registration number | 0107556000183 |
| Operating base | Bangkok Suvarnabhumi International Airport (BKK); focus city Samui International Airport (USM) |
| IATA code | PG |
| ICAO code | BKP |
| Radio call sign | BANGKOK AIR |
| Air waybill prefix | 829(a full air waybill number is 829 plus 8 digits, 11 characters in total) |
| Official website | www.bangkokair.com(cargo contact:www.bangkokair.com/cargo-service) |
| Cargo terminal website | www.bangkokflightservices.com |
| Customer service and reservations | 1771 within Thailand; +66 2 270 6699 internationally |
| Company switchboard | +66 2 265 5678, fax +66 2 265 5775 |
| Listing | Listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand on 27 February 2013, tickerBA; registered and paid-up capital 2.1 billion baht (2.1 billion shares at 1 baht each) |
| Controlling shareholder | Prasarttong-Osoth family (founder Dr. Prasert Prasarttong-Osoth personally held 92.31 percent before listing) |
| Current president and CEO | Capt. Puttipong Prasarttong-Osoth |
| Airline alliance | Not a member of any global alliance; interlines with several airlines through code shares |
| Active fleet | 23 aircraft: eleven A319-100s, two A320-200s and ten ATR 72-600s;no dedicated freighters |
| Network size | Ten airports in Thailand and seven international points (route database as of September 2026) |
| Loyalty program | FlyerBonus |
| Tagline | Asia's Boutique Airline |
| Main awards | Skytrax World's Best Regional Airline and Best Regional Airline in Asia (both won in the same year ten times since 2016); the Royal Garuda Emblem of Thailand on 9 April 2007 |
| 2026 ranking | Named in the Fortune Southeast Asia 500, ranked 335th |
Aboutair waybill prefix 829One point needs emphasis: the three-digit number is the unique carrier identifier assigned by IATA. Many airlines operate at Suvarnabhumi at once, and the prefix alone identifies the carrier — for example217is Thai Airways,829is Bangkok Airways,160is Cathay Pacific,618is Singapore Airlines. When a customer receives an air waybill beginning with829-it is clear that the first-leg carrier is Bangkok Airways and not another carrier's paper issued under an agent's name.
Two further points:First, PG is not a member of any allianceso Star Alliance or SkyTeam through-fare rules do not describe its connections; those rest on bilateral code shares and interline agreements.Second, Bangkok Airways and Thai Airways (THAI) are two entirely different companieswith codes PG and TG and air waybill prefixes 829 and 217. They share some ground resources at Suvarnabhumi but settle accounts separately.
One detail that is easy to miss:Some Bangkok Airways flight numbers arefour digits(for example the four-digit flights commonly seen on Chinese ticketing platforms alongside PG4838 and PG832). Such numbers are usuallycode-share marketing flight numbersand the operating carrier is another airline. Flights actually operated by Bangkok Airways carry PG plus three digits. If the requirement is carriage on a Bangkok Airways aircraft, ask at booking for a flight number the airline operates itself and check that the equipment is an A319, A320 or ATR 72.
| Aircraft type | In service | Seat layout | Belly payload (approx.) | Belly hold volume (approx.) | Maximum size per piece |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airbus A319-100 | 11 aircraft | Two holds, about 144 seats | About 6.8 tonnes | About 27.5 m³ | 130 × 170 × 100 cm |
| Airbus A320-200 | 2 aircraft | Two holds, about 162 seats | About 9.4 tonnes | About 36.9 m³ | 130 × 170 × 100 cm |
| ATR 72-600 | 10 aircraft | Single hold, about 70 seats | About 1.7 tonnes | About 10.5 m³ | 50 × 90 × 100 cm |
| Total | 23 aircraft | — | — | — | — |
The right way to read the absence of freighters:Bangkok Airways belly capacity is incidental: the routes exist to carry passengers, and cargo rides along.Three things follow: space moves with the season, passenger baggage crowds it out at peak times, and ad hoc charter demand cannot be metIf a shipment of more than three tonnes has to reach Thailand on a fixed date, prepare two options: book Bangkok Airways belly space and also stand ready to split the same shipment to a freighter operator, such as freighter flights from Guangzhou, Shenzhen or Shanghai direct to Bangkok. Do not treat it as the only plan.
The A319 is the most numerous type in the fleet and the mainstay of international routes. Its belly space is split into forward hold, aft hold and bulk hold, with about 27.5 cubic meters in total and a payload of about 6.8 tonnes —on a China to Thailand route that means one small piece of equipment or three to four standard pallet positions per flightThe hold door measures about 123 × 182 cm, so a piece can pass once turned; that is why the carrier sets the per-piece limit at 130 × 170 × 100 cm.
One thing to watch when shipping from China: the A319 belly is reasonably large, but as a narrowbodythe whole shipment has to be broken into loose pieces or small pallets and cannot be handed over as full palletsIf the factory normally ships on pallets of 1.2 × 1.0 m or larger, check the packing plan with us before dispatch.
The A320 has the largest belly in the fleet, about a third more volume than the A319 and some 2.6 tonnes more payload.But the airline has only twoand its 2026 plan is to wet-lease one or two more A320s if conditions allow. The capacity exists but not at scale, and which flight can take a shipment depends on that month's schedule.
What this means for shippers:for shipments of three to eight tonnes that have to move on Bangkok Airways, only the flights rostered with an A320 can take themWe confirm this flight by flight at booking rather than replying with a blanket "space available".
The ATR 72-600 is a turboprop and the reason Bangkok Airways can serve Samui at all: the runway there is only 2,060 m with no taxiway, so aircraft turn around on the runway itself, and only this class of aircraft can do that reliably over time.
Its per-piece limit is only 50 × 90 × 100 cm, the tightest in the fleet.The forward hold door is only about 126 × 150 cm, the aft door about 61 × 122 cm, and the hold itself is an irregular curved shape.A shipment that does not fit those dimensions cannot go to Samui.The airline also requires at least two hours' notice before acceptance and rejects oversize or overweight pieces outright. Twelve ATR 72-600s are on order, one due in November 2026 and one in December 2026, with the rest arriving by 2028, so capacity on the type will grow noticeably over the next two years.
Many shippers hit trouble at this step on their first Bangkok Airways shipment —non-compliant packing is the most common cause.
| Item | Rule | Practical effect |
|---|---|---|
| ATR per-piece size | Maximum 50 × 90 × 100 cm | A standard 1200 × 1000 mm pallet will not fit; the load must be broken down and shipped loose |
| A319 and A320 per-piece size | Maximum 130 × 170 × 100 cm | Takes small and medium equipment and small pallets, but still not full standard pallets |
| Palletised cargo size | No more than 100 × 170 × 100 cm after wrapping | Two hours' notice to the airline |
| Weight per piece | General cargo must be under 150 kg per piece | Pieces over 150 kg must be split or are refused at acceptance |
| "Wet" cargo weight per piece | Under 30 kg per piece | Cargo containing liquids, ice packs or seafood is limited to 30 kg per piece |
| Acceptance cut-off | 90 minutes before departure | Tighter than a typical widebody freighter; a minute late can mean the next day |
| Cargo outside the limits | Oversize or overweight cargo is not accepted | There is no special approval route; repack or change carrier in advance |
| Documentation fee | 150 baht per air waybill | Plus 7 percent VAT |
| Free storage | 48 hours after arrival (Bangkok, Samui) | Overtime storage is charged by weight, from a minimum of THB 200 plus 7% VAT |
Packing advice for Chinese exporters:If the cargo is ultimately bound for Samui, Sukhothai or Trat, airports only ATR aircraft can serve, design the packing to these limits:no single piece over 50 × 90 × 100 cm or 150 kgThe limits look severe, but building to them costs far less than depalletising and repacking at Bangkok. Breaking a pallet down at the airport means labour and repacking charges, and missing the same-day acceptance cut-off can add a day of warehouse storage.
Bangkok Airways has no cargo sales office of its own in mainland China and has never publicly appointed a separate cargo general sales agent.The carrier's published acceptance guidance is direct: for special cargo or shipments packed with dry ice, contact an authorized cargo sales agent. In practice that meansbooking direct with Bangkok Airways through a licensed freight forwarder such as Goodhope, acting in the capacity of agentrather than going through an agency office in China.
Any contact details that claim to be a Bangkok Airways cargo office for China and ask for prepayment should be verified first.The offices listed here handle passenger sales only and do not accept cargo.
Bangkok Airways has five offices in China, including Hong Kong, that support the general sales agent's work. They handle ticket sales and passenger service,but they are still useful to shippersbecause cargo that has to connect with a passenger itinerary, or a codeshare sector that needs confirming, can be checked with them. Email addresses use the domain tlmchina.com.
| City | Telephone | Address | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beijing | 86-10-6430 1517 | pgpek@tlmchina.com | Room 603A, Lido Office Building, No. 6 Jiangtai Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing |
| Shanghai | 86-21-6385 8550 | pgsha@tlmchina.com | Room 1512, Shui On Plaza, No. 333 Huaihai Middle Road, Huangpu District, Shanghai |
| Guangzhou | 86-20-8760 7805 | pgcan@tlmchina.com | Room 2412, South Tower, Guangzhou World Trade Center, No. 371 Huanshi East Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou |
| Chengdu | 86-28-6132 6786 | pgctu@tlmchina.com | Room 2508, Tower 1, Zhonghuan Plaza, No. 8 Shuncheng Street, Jinjiang District, Chengdu (some sources give No. 1808, IFS Tower 2, Chunxi Road) |
| Hong Kong, China | 852-2369 0058 | — | The general sales agent has a Hong Kong office covering sales for Hong Kong |
Note:The Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Chengdu telephone numbers and email addresses above come from the general sales agent's published contacts,are passenger sales contacts and may change at any timeThe Hong Kong general sales agency has been in force since March 2023. Chengdu also has a separate body: in 2024, with approval from the Civil Aviation Administration of China, Bangkok Airways registered aresident representative officethe first resident office of a foreign airline in Chengdu Eastern New Area, serving mainly the Chengdu Tianfu to Samui route. A representative office belongs to the airline itself and differs from a general sales agent.
The Bangkok international terminal is run by WFS-PG Cargo, in which Bangkok Airways holds 49.0%; the Bangkok domestic terminal, Samui, Sukhothai, Trat and Krabi are run by the airline itself, and Phuket is handled by the airport operator AOTGA.These are the most useful operational contacts.
| Terminal | Operator | Export acceptance hours | Import pickup hours | Telephone | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bangkok internationalBKK International | WFS-PG | 24 hours | 24 hours | +66 2 131 5555 | Export cgosupexp@bfsasia.com Import cgosupimp@bfsasia.com |
| Bangkok domesticBKK Domestic | Bangkok Airways | 05:00 - 17:00 | 05:00 - 24:00 | +66 2 134 3886 | cargoops_bkk@bangkokair.com |
| SamuiUSM | Bangkok Airways | 08:00 - 20:00 | 08:00 - 21:00 | +66 7742 8505 +66 7742 8530 |
cargoops_usm@bangkokair.com |
| Chiang MaiCNX | Bangkok Airways | 07:00 - 20:00 | 07:00 - 23:00 | Mobile 080-078-2708 | cargoops_cnx@bangkokair.com |
| PhuketHKT | AOTGA | 07:00 - 17:00 | 07:00 - 23:00 | +66 76-351355 Mobile 084-202-3374 |
Export hktfo@aotga.com Import hktfl@aotga.com |
| KrabiKBV | Bangkok Airways | No export handling | 07:00 - 22:00 | +66 75-701612 Mobile 063-0637343 |
kbvstation@bangkokair.com |
| SukhothaiTHS | Bangkok Airways | Before PG212, 07:20 Before PG214, 15:00 | 07:00 - 18:00 | Mobile 091-120-7793 | thsgos@bangkokair.com thskkpg@bangkokair.com |
| TratTDX | Bangkok Airways | 09:00 - 16:00 | 09:00 - 18:00 | +66 39-525-771 Extension 3446, mobile 092-223-5753 |
tdxgos@bangkokair.com tdxkkpg@bangkokair.com |
Three practical points:
1.The Krabi (KBV) terminal does not accept export cargoand handles imports only. Cargo returning from Thailand to China cannot be shipped out of Krabi; it has to go by road or air to Bangkok or Phuket first.
2.The Bangkok international terminal and the Bangkok domestic terminal are two separate counterswith different telephones, email addresses and operators. International cargo goes to WFS-PG (+66 2 131 5555); domestic onward sectors go to the airline's own terminal (+66 2 134 3886). Turning up at the wrong one wastes time.
3.All times above are Thai local time (GMT+7)one hour behind Beijing. Chinese exporters must allow for the difference when setting document cut-offs: an instruction submitted at 18:00 Beijing time is 17:00 in Thailand.
Bangkok Airways has opened several mainland China routes over the years. On the basis of the airline's 2025 annual report,eight international routes were in operation in 2025, two of them to China: Samui to Chengdu and Samui to ChongqingIn earlier years it also flew Guangzhou to Samui (flight numbers PG881 and PG882), which is no longer in the network.
| Flight | Route | Departure | Arrival | Duration | Aircraft type | Weekly frequency |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PG832 | Chengdu Tianfu (TFU) to Samui (USM) | 05:10 | 07:50 | About 3h40m | A319 | 4 flights per week |
| PG831 | Samui (USM) to Chengdu Tianfu (TFU) | Return times and frequency follow the airline's plan for the current season | A319 | 4 flights per week | ||
| PG— | Samui (USM) and Chongqing (CKG) | Tourist charter, operating cycle not fixed | A319 | About 1 to 2 flights a week | ||
Note on frequency:The weekly frequency of these two China routesweekly frequencyrests on reasonably reliable public information: four flights a week on the Chengdu route, and a tourist charter on the Chongqing route with an irregular cycle. Operating dates change with the season; the frequencies below are for reference and the carrier's current publication governs. The Chengdu route is adjusted seasonally, with no flights in some months.
No fixed operating days are therefore promised here,and the carrier's latest timetable governs the actual scheduleAt booking Goodhope retrieves the actual plan for the week from the carrier rather than quoting historical schedules.
One further point has to be flagged:the destination airportBoth routes land atSamui Airport (USM)not Bangkok.The runway at Samui is only 2,060 m long and 45 m wide, and the airport has no taxiway, so every aircraft has to turn round on the runway itselfwhich limits operations to ATR 72 and A319/A320 class aircraft. Two consequences follow.
First, nonstop capacity from China to Samui is very limited.An A319 carries about 6.8 tonnes in the belly, and with four flights a week the theoretical ceiling is a little over 20 tonnes a week, shared with passenger baggage.Second, if the consignee is in Bangkok rather than Samui, these routes offer almost no direct valuebecause cargo that reaches Samui needs a further flight to Bangkok, a detour.
Given that structure, cargo exported from China to Thailand normally takes one of three realistic routings.The first leg is in most cases flown by another carrier.
| Path | First leg (departure from China) | Second leg (inside Thailand or onward) | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Routing A Standard option |
Chinese airports to Bangkok Suvarnabhumi (BKK) with other carriers, including widebody and narrowbody belly capacity on China-Thailand routes and freighters | Onward on Bangkok Airways' Thai domestic belly network to Phuket, Chiang Mai, Krabi, Samui, Sukhothai, Trat and Hat Yai | Consignee in a Thai city outside Bangkok and a single through air waybill is needed |
| Routing B Nonstop to Samui |
Chengdu Tianfu to Samui nonstop with Bangkok Airways PG832 | None (direct) | Consignee on Samui or a nearby island and volume within the belly capacity of one flight |
| Routing C Transfer in a third country |
China to Singapore (SIN) or Hong Kong (HKG) with other carriers | Transfer to Bangkok Airways Samui to Singapore or Samui to Hong Kong services to reach Samui | Destination is Samui but the Chengdu schedule does not fit, or the flight density at Singapore or Hong Kong is needed |
One further question has to be settled:whether the shipment travels as cargo or as baggage.Bangkok Airways carries belly cargo on the same aircraft as passenger baggage, and Thailand is a holiday destination while Samui is a resort island,so in peak season, especially December to February and July to August, baggage volumes squeeze the cargo space availableShippers with time-sensitive plans should avoid those periods or line up an alternative carrier.
| Region | Destinations served | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Within Thailand (10 airports) |
Bangkok Suvarnabhumi (BKK), Bangkok Don Mueang (DMK), Chiang Mai (CNX), Phuket (HKT), Hat Yai (HDY), Samui (USM), Krabi (KBV), Sukhothai (THS), Trat (TDX) and Rayong U-Tapao (UTP) | This is the most valuable asset in Bangkok Airways cargo: a belly network covering Thailand's main tourism and economic cities, three of which, Samui, Sukhothai and Trat, the airline operates itself |
| China | Chengdu Tianfu (TFU) and Chongqing (CKG) | Both nonstop to Samui, operated by Bangkok Airways with A319 aircraft |
| Hong Kong, China | Hong Kong, China (HKG) | Samui to Hong Kong return, restored on 1 July 2023, recently three flights a week subject to the current season |
| Elsewhere in Southeast Asia | Singapore (SIN), Phnom Penh (KTI) and Siem Reap (SAI) in Cambodia, and Luang Prabang (LPQ) in Laos | All are short regional sectors of one to three hours; Phnom Penh and Siem Reap have moved to the new Techo International Airport and Angkor International Airport respectively |
| South Asia | Male, Maldives (MLE) | The Bangkok to Male route, one of the few Bangkok Airways services open to international dangerous goods |
| Discontinued points | Guangzhou, Chongqing (once a scheduled route), Kuala Lumpur, Yangon, Mandalay, Naypyidaw, Vientiane, Da Nang, Hanoi, Nha Trang, Phu Quoc, Cebu, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chiang Rai, Lampang and Mae Hong Son | These points are marked as discontinued in the airline's annual reports and route lists from different years. Guangzhou was an important mainland China point in earlier years and is no longer served |
The shape of the network defines what the airline is for.Bangkok Airways has no widebody aircraft, no intercontinental routes and no alliance membership, so itcannot carry trunk transit traffic on a China to Thailand to third country routingWhat it does well is one thing: moving cargo efficiently from Bangkok or Samui to ten airports inside Thailand. The advice from Goodhope is therefore consistent:use it on the second leg, to move cargo the last mile to secondary Thai cities, not as the main first leg out of China.
Once cargo from any Chinese airport has reached Bangkok, and the consignee is in Phuket, Chiang Mai, Krabi, Sukhothai, Trat, Hat Yai or Samui, it can connect directly to a Bangkok Airways Thai domestic belly flightand move under the same air waybill, without finding a Thai carrier in Bangkok to rebook, re-issue documents and re-declareThat saves time and correspondence.
Samui, Sukhothai and Trat were built and are run by Bangkok Airways. Unloading, storage and delivery on arrival all happen inside one company,with no split of responsibility between airport operator and airlineThat advantage shows most clearly on small, frequent shipments that need a steady rhythm.
Bangkok Airways holds 49.0% of the Suvarnabhumi international cargo terminal (WFS-PG Cargo) and 98.88% of the ground handler BFS Ground, so its cargo isnot purely that of an outside customerWhen the terminal is congested in peak season this relationship has a real effect on handling times. Goodhope promises no priority, but the structural advantage exists.
Flight density between China and Thailand is high, with both freighters and belly capacity, so the first leg is never short of options.Bangkok Airways is not strong on the China departure leg but on the second leg inside Thailand.Goodhope therefore picks the first leg to suit the shipper's deadline and budget and uses Bangkok Airways for the second leg into secondary Thai cities. The combination is usually cheaper and faster than one carrier doing the whole job.
China and Thailand signed a mutual recognition arrangement for Authorized Economic Operators (AEO) in February 2025,in force from 1 August 2025AEO-certified companies in both countries get priority inspection and simplified clearance, which shortens clearance time and cuts warehousing and logistics cost.Shippers who hold AEO certification should say so when instructing Goodhope, which will claim the facility on the Thai side as well.A mutual visa exemption agreement has also applied since March 2024, making staff travel between the two countries much easier and helping with after-sales and inspection visits.
Thailand is China's largest export market for agricultural products and fruit, with very large volumes of durian, mangosteen, longan and coconut imported from Thailand, while Chinese food, prepared dishes and seasonings exported to Thailand are growing.Such cargo needs temperature control and fast distribution, and the Bangkok Airways group happens to have 16,000 sq m of cold storage and its own airline catering company (93% owned),which gives it built-in cold chain capability. Two-way flows also help spread cost.
A further benefit is often overlooked:transparent rates for delivery inside ThailandBangkok Airways publishes a rate structure for its Thai domestic terminals, with weight bands for the minimum charge, cargo under 45 kg and cargo over 100 kg, priced in baht per kilogram and split between general and perishable cargo. It also lists five dedicated service codes: folded cartons and empty drums, empty foam boxes, a priority service for cargo needing extra care (up to 5 kg per consignment), a document service, and a late evening express service for cargo arriving at Bangkok after 22:00, up to 5 kg per consignment at THB 1,000 per consignment.With published rates, onward cost inside Thailand can be estimated before dispatch rather than accepted as a quote on arrival.
| Capability | What it involves and what it means for Chinese shippers |
|---|---|
| 1. Suvarnabhumi international terminal |
Run by WFS-PG Cargo, 49.0% held by Bangkok Airways in a joint venture with the global terminal operator Worldwide Flight Services established in 2004. The terminal covers 55,370 sq m,with design capacity of about 550,000 tonnes a yearcan operate as a customs free zone,and can handle 7 widebody freighters at onceIt has an automated storage and retrieval system (50 containers an hour, with barcode and RFID support) and an elevating transfer vehicle system with 456 pallet positions, plus a separate chilled pallet store for exports.In practice, large consignments from China have room to buffer in Bangkok and do not sit idle when the terminal is full. |
| 2. Cold chain and temperature control Facilities |
The Suvarnabhumi terminal includesabout 16,000 sq m of cold storageand a separate store for dangerous goods.There is also a valuables vault with fingerprint accessfor high-value storage.For Chinese shippers this means chocolate, dairy, pharmaceuticals, cosmetic ingredients and precision instruments, cargo sensitive to temperature or security, are handled in Bangkokon the strength of equipment rather than a verbal promise of priority handling. On perishables, the group catering company (Bangkok Airways Catering, 93.0% owned) runs production kitchens at Suvarnabhumi, Samui, Phuket, Chiang Mai and Don Mueang, with food-grade handling and cold chain capability. |
| 3. Thai domestic belly distribution network |
Ten domestic airports with several rotations a day.This network is what sets the airline apart from other foreign carriers.Because the Samui runway is only 2,060 m with no taxiway, most widebody and large narrowbody aircraft cannot operate there; only Bangkok Airways ATR 72 and A319/A320 aircraft can run the route year round,which gives it an almost exclusive position on the Samui route.For orders with a consignee on Samui or nearby islands that means there is effectively no second carrier, so space has to be booked earlier. |
| 4. Special cargo approvals (confirm in advance) |
Bangkok Airways accepts a much narrower range of dangerous goods than the general IATA rules.Under its published company variations, apart from the two categories below,it accepts no dangerous goods as cargoThe first is dry ice (UN1845), up to 2.5 kg net per package, each package able to vent, and no more than 300 kg per ATR 72 flight or 400 kg per A319/A320 flight. The second is lithium batteries packed in or with equipment (UN3481 lithium ion, UN3091 lithium metal,limited to Section II of packing instructions PI966, PI967, PI969 and PI970with cells of no more than 20Wh or batteries of no more than 100Wh, a net weight of no more than 5 kg per package, a state of charge of no more than 30% of rated capacity, and no more than 2 packages per consignment or the limit the airline sets. International routes are narrower still: these dangerous goods are accepted only on specific sectors outside China, namely the Bangkok to Male and Bangkok to Phnom Penh round trips.The result is thaton China to Thailand routes Bangkok Airways accepts none of these dangerous goodsIf cargo contains lithium batteries, such as electronics with batteries, power tools or portable power stations, tell Goodhope in advance so a carrier holding the right approval can be used instead of being refused at acceptance. |
| 5. Live animals and special cargo rates |
Live animals are rated under a dedicated code (SCR 1000) by weight band: 1 to 10 kg THB 1,000, 11 to 20 kg THB 1,500, 21 to 30 kg THB 2,000 and 31 to 60 kg THB 2,500, as published by the airline. Size and number limits vary by aircraft type:An ATR 72 takes at most 2 containers (6 animals) per flight, each no larger than 80 × 45 × 65 cm and no heavier than 20 kg in total; the A319 takes at most 2 containers (6 animals); the A320 at most 3 containers (9 animals), with each container no larger than 100 × 60 × 75 cm and no heavier than 60 kg on the last two types. One restriction matters in particular:Snub-nosed breeds are not acceptedthe airline's published restricted list covers about 25 dog breeds and 5 cat breeds, including boxers, bulldogs, French bulldogs, pugs and Persians, and crossbreeds are also restricted. Containers must be fibreglass, metal, rigid plastic, welded mesh or solid wood or plywood, leak-proof at the base, with at least four ventilation openings, and fitted with a water container refillable from outside; plain wire mesh and cardboard are not accepted. A further limit applies:A319 and A320 aircraft currently do not take pets, subject to the airline's latest noticeso pets fly mainly on ATR 72 services and must be booked at least 24 hours ahead. |
| 6. Thai domestic Dedicated cargo services |
Beyond the two base categories of general and perishable cargo, Bangkok Airways offers five dedicated cargo services and codes:SCR 2000folded cartons, folded boxes and empty drums or plastic drums, at THB 4.50 per kg to all domestic destinations with a THB 500 minimum;SCR 3000empty foam boxes at THB 25 per kg with a THB 600 minimum;SCR 4000a priority service for cargo needing extra care and special packing, up to 5 kg per consignment;SCR 5000a document service;SCR 6000a late evening express service for cargo arriving at Suvarnabhumi after 22:00, delivered the same day, up to 5 kg per consignment at THB 1,000 per consignment. This set of services is particularly useful for e-commerce and sample shippersSmall, frequent samples and parts needed the same day usually cost less per unit under SCR 6000 than by express courier. The empty foam box service reflects real demand from Thailand's seafood and food trade, where boxes are reused, which shows the cargo product is built around local industry rather than a generic template. |
Awards and safety credentials:Since 2016 Bangkok Airways has takenten timesboth Skytrax World's Best Regional Airline and Best Regional Airline in Asia in the same year, with no awards in 2020 because of the pandemic; the 2026 ceremony was held in London on 18 September. It is a full IATA member, passed the IOSA operational safety audit in 2002, regained its operating certificate under ICAO standards in 2017 and received the Royal Garuda emblem on 9 April 2007.
What these credentials mean in practice:this is a carrier audited repeatedly on safety and operating standards, not a marginal operator competing on price. For pharmaceuticals, food and precision equipment, where buyers may require carriage by an IOSA-registered carrier, these credentials can go straight into the contract.
With the cargo details in hand, Goodhope checks each loading rule: whether a piece exceeds the limit for the aircraft type (50 × 90 × 100 cm on the ATR 72, 130 × 170 × 100 cm on the A319/A320), whether a piece exceeds 150 kg, whether it counts as wet cargo holding liquid or ice (30 kg per piece),whether it contains lithium batteries or any dangerous goods, the most important check, since Bangkok Airways accepts none on China to Thailand routesand which Thai city the consignee is in and whether a domestic onward leg is needed. That settles whether the cargo can move and by which routing.
Since Bangkok Airways can only fly nonstop from Chengdu Tianfu to Samui within mainland China,most Chinese export cargo does not fly the first leg with Bangkok AirwaysGoodhope selects from the regular China-Thailand capacity, belly space on China-Thailand routes and freighters, against the shipper's deadline, cost and volume, then connects the second leg with Bangkok Airways.Where the consignee is on Samui and the volume fits one A319 belly, Goodhope recommends the nonstop Chengdu Tianfu PG832 service firstbecause it usually beats routing through Bangkok on time.
Goodhope submits the booking to Bangkok Airways under its agent accreditation and declares special cargo categories such as perishables, temperature control and live animals as required.Because this is belly capacity, confirmation depends more on the load on the day than with a freighterso two things are confirmed at booking: the baggage forecast for the flight, which matters most in peak season, and the acceptance cut-off for the sector,which for Bangkok Airways is 1 hour 30 minutes before departure, tighter than on most freightersand has to be built into the plan from the start.
Export declaration is handled with the shipper's customs broker, and the air waybill uses Bangkok Airways' 829 airline prefix or Goodhope's own house waybill.Packing acceptance is the point to watch at tender:Bangkok Airways has no waiver process for oversize, overweight or non-compliant packing and refuses such cargo at the counter. Goodhope measures and weighs each piece beforehand so problems do not surface at the terminal.
On arrival at Bangkok the international terminal is operated by WFS-PG Cargo, with 24-hour acceptance and pickup, and the Thai domestic connection is handled at the airline's own terminal, where export acceptance runs 05:00 to 17:00 and import pickup 05:00 to 24:00, all Thai local time.Before dispatch Goodhope explains the Thai side to the client: pickup times, with import cargo at the terminal normally ready about 4 hours after arrival, the 48-hour free storage period and the rules for overtime chargesso the consignee in Bangkok does not receive an unexpected storage bill.
A direct answer on who to book with:Bangkok Airways does not take cargo through its own offices in China; its published guidance is to contact an authorized cargo sales agent. The right approach is thereforeto contact a freight forwarder able to handle export declaration and bookingand let the forwarder run booking, declaration, documentation, tender and the Thai connection as one chain. Goodhope Logistics (China) Limited has long handled air exports from China to Thailand and can take on all of these steps, booking directly with Bangkok Airways and other carriers.
Have the following ready so the booking goes through first time:commodity name in Chinese and English with HS code, pieces and actual dimensions and weight per piece, full consignee address and telephone, whether the cargo contains batteries or liquid, whether temperature control is needed, the trade term (FOB, CIF or DDP), and any carrier or routing requirement.
Thailand is one of Goodhope's focus markets in Southeast Asia. Bangkok, Phuket and Chiang Mai, and Samui, Sukhothai and Trat where only Bangkok Airways offers reliable service, can all be covered by a workable air freight plan,including the full connection between the China departure leg and Thai domestic delivery.
Contact Goodhope for a China to Thailand air freight planNo. Bangkok Airways has never operated a dedicated freighter; all 23 aircraft in service are passenger aircraft, cargo moves in the belly hold only,and cargo cannot be handed over as a full palletPiece limits vary by aircraft type: 50 × 90 × 100 cm on the ATR 72 and 130 × 170 × 100 cm on the A319/A320, with palletised cargo no larger than 100 × 170 × 100 cm and 2 hours notice required. Cargo already built as full pallets needs repacking in China or a different carrier.
No.Bangkok Airways has no widebody aircraft, no intercontinental routes and no alliance membership,and the whole fleet is narrowbody and turboprop aircraft, A319, A320 and ATR 72, with range only for Thailand and the Southeast Asian and South Asian region. Air freight from China to the United States or Europe needs a carrier with intercontinental capacity. This airline is a regional carrier inside Thailand and a second leg after arrival.
On the airline's 2025 annual report, the two international routes to China areSamui to Chengdu and Samui to Chongqingboth operated by Bangkok Airways with A319 aircraft. The Chengdu route runs four times a week, with PG832 leaving Chengdu Tianfu at 05:10 and reaching Samui at 07:50, about 3 hours 40 minutes. The Chongqing route is a tourist charter of about one to two flights a week with an irregular cycle. The airline previously flew Guangzhou to Samui, which is no longer in the network.Note that both routes land at Samui, not Bangkok.
Not on China to Thailand routes.Bangkok Airways accepts a very narrow range of dangerous goods: dry ice (UN1845) and lithium batteries packed in or with equipment (UN3481 and UN3091, limited to Section II of PI966, PI967, PI969 and PI970).International routes are open only on the Bangkok to Male and Bangkok to Phnom Penh round trips.Cargo containing batteries is therefore never accepted on China to Thailand routes. Tell Goodhope in advance and a carrier holding the right approval will be used.
Yes, with significant limits.Snub-nosed breeds are not acceptedThe airline's published restricted list covers about 25 dog breeds and 5 cat breeds, and crossbreeds are also restricted.A319 and A320 aircraft currently do not take pets, and live animals fly mainly on ATR 72 serviceswith booking at least 24 hours ahead. Container material, ventilation, water containers and leak-proof bases are all specified, and plain wire mesh and cardboard are not accepted. Rates run by weight band from THB 1,000 for 1 to 10 kg. Goodhope confirms acceptance item by item with the airline at booking.
Yes, and that is where it is most valuable. Its Thai domestic network covers ten airports: Bangkok Suvarnabhumi, Bangkok Don Mueang, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Hat Yai, Samui, Krabi, Sukhothai, Trat and Rayong U-Tapao.Once cargo reaches Bangkok it can connect to domestic flights serving these cities without finding a local carrier.The Samui runway is only 2,060 m with no taxiway, so only Bangkok Airways ATR 72 and A319/A320 aircraft can operate there reliably over the long term, and other carriers can rarely substitute.
The acceptance cut-off is1 hour 30 minutes before departuretighter than on most freighters. On free storage, the Bangkok and Samui terminals hold cargo free for48 hoursafter arrival; beyond that storage is charged by weight, THB 200 minimum up to 100 kg and THB 5 per kg per day above 100 kg, plus 7% VAT. Chiang Mai follows Thai Airways warehouse rules and Phuket follows AOTGA warehouse rules. On cancellation: once cargo is accepted but not yet moved airside, 50% of the freight plus a THB 150 documentation fee applies; once moved airside, 100%; once loaded, it cannot be cancelled. All times are Thai local time.
Using the Bangkok Airways829 prefixairline air waybill number (829 plus 8 digits, 11 in total), the shipment can be tracked in the carrier's Thai internal system; the air waybill number also serves as the transport document number for Thai import and export declarations. Because the journey crosses carriers,Goodhope provides a leg-by-leg tracking note after departuresetting out where to check each of the China departure leg, the Thai arrival leg and the domestic onward leg, so there is no point at which the shipment cannot be found in a system.
Prepared by Goodhope Logistics (China) Limited (Goodhope Freight). The Bangkok Airways name and related marks and codes belong to the airline, and Goodhope has no affiliation with or agency for Bangkok Airways or its group companies. Bangkok Airways has no cargo sales office of its own in mainland China, and not every China to Thailand option described is carried on the airline's own nonstop China flights; the booking confirmation governs. Information is compiled from public sources for reference only and is not a commitment or a quotation; the carrier's latest official timetable and rules govern.